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San Diego State continues to show why they are the top team in the conference, throttling opponents with their suffocating defense and improving offense.
Yet, after another two-win week for the Aztecs, the conference is still up for grabs with some big-time showdowns yet to be played.
The traffic jam of teams in the thick of the conference is beginning to get reshuffled and when the smoke clears, there's a chance that a new sleeper team in Fresno State could be emerging. However, it's still New Mexico and Boise State taking the top spots behind San Diego State, although the pecking order of these two conference stalwarts may have changed a bit.
TEAM |
CONF. |
GB |
OVERALL |
STREAK |
San Diego State |
9-0 |
- |
16-6 |
9W |
New Mexico |
6-2 |
2.5 |
13-8 |
3W |
Boise State |
6-3 |
3.0 |
15-7 |
2L |
Fresno State |
5-3 |
3.5 |
14-7 |
2W |
Nevada |
5-4 |
4.0 |
13-8 |
1W |
Colorado State |
4-4 |
4.5 |
12-9 |
1L |
UNLV |
4-5 |
5.0 |
13-9 |
1L |
Wyoming |
4-6 |
5.5 |
11-12 |
1W |
Utah State |
3-6 |
6.0 |
11-9 |
3L |
San Jose State |
2-8 |
7.5 |
7-15 |
1W |
Air Force |
1-8 |
8.0 |
10-12 |
8L |
WEEKLY SCOREBOARD
Tuesday (1/26)
Fresno State 71 Wyoming 60
San Diego State 57 Nevada 54
Wednesday (1/27)
Colorado State 74 San Jose State 66
New Mexico 84 Air Force 55
UNLV 87 Boise State 77
Saturday (1/30)
San Jose State 75 Air Force 54
New Mexico 88 Boise State 83
Wyoming 83 Colorado State 76
San Diego State 67 UNLV 52
Nevada 89 Utah State 84
Biggest Winner: New Mexico
After starting Mountain West Conference play with four straight wins, Craig Neal's squad came into the week having lost two of their last three. For the Lobos, this was a potential make-or-break point in their season. Even if New Mexico split the week, the Lobos likely would've pushed themselves to the outside looking in with three conference losses before the end of January.
After this week, there's a feeling that the Lobos may be turning the corner from conference dark horse to legitimate contenders. New Mexico dismantled Air Force to start the week with an offensive barrage that looked to jumpstart the Lobos' confidence for a road trip to Boise.
Against the Broncos, sophomore guard Elijah Brown asserted his offensive abilities, contributing 30 points in New Mexico's five point win over the Broncos. Averaging a prolific 86 points per game through the week, New Mexico showed strides of a team that might have the moxie to make some noise in the conference. However, they say to be the best, you've got to beat the best and the Lobos will get that chance when they travel to San Diego State on Saturday.
Biggest Loser: Boise State
Last week, it was Boise State that proved themselves as the number one contender to knock off the Aztecs from the top spot in the conference. Well, what a difference a week makes in the Mountain West. The Broncos didn't exactly have the easiest slate with a trip to Vegas against an excitable UNLV squad and a showdown with the Lobos but after coming up short in both games, Leon Rice and company are stuck looking for answers.
Keeping the eye test in mind, the Broncos still look to be one of the more formidable outfits coming out of the conference but tickets to the NCAA Tournament seem to be more focused around how teams look on paper these days. Boise State's goal is to be playing into March for all the marbles but now, the room for error for this team is beginning to disappear. With a more manageable group of games upcoming, the Broncos need to assert themselves as one of the premier teams in the Mountain West.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Tuesday (2/2) TIME (ET) COVERAGE
New Mexico v. UNLV 8:00 PM CBSSN
Air Force v. Wyoming 9:00 PM ROOT
Boise State v. Utah State 9:00 PM ESPN3
San Diego State v. Colorado State 11:00 PM ESPN2
Wednesday (2/3)
San Jose State v. Fresno State 10:00 PM MWN
Saturday (2/6)
Air Force v. Boise State 2:00 PM ROOT
San Diego State v. New Mexico 4:00 PM CBSSN
Colorado State v. Nevada 4:00 PM MWN
Wyoming v. Utah State 6:00 PM ROOT
Fresno State v. UNLV 7:00 PM ESPN3
Another week of Mountain West action packed with a loaded schedule of big-time clashes, the most intriguing match-up of the week could come on Saturday night when a newly crowned second place New Mexico squad travels to test their true colors at San Diego State. However, that real meaning of that game could change if the Lobos can't fight their way past UNLV on Tuesday night. The Rebels have are coming off a tough one against the Aztecs and now having dropped two of their last three, will likely be ready to trend back upwards in the standings once again.
UNLV is not the only team with potential for a big week as Wyoming has a chance to right their own sinking ship, taking on two of the bottom three teams in the conference in Air Force and Utah State. Keep an eye on Colorado State this upcoming week as well, as the Rams travel to "The Show" and then get a pesky Nevada team in Fort Collins.
With a slate of games where a strong amount of movement in the standings is expected, there's nothing better to do than just sit back, relax and enjoy another week of Mountain West Conference basketball.